Feathered Necklaces and Moonlit Pearls
by StuckinWanderLust
Summary: When Maria Merrywheather's father dies and leaves her penniless, she moves to the country to live with her uncle. However, what awaits her in Moonacre Valley is more than she could have dreamed of- magic, fairytales, and a mysterious boy in leather. Can Maria save Moonacre Valley, or will she be swept away by the curse?
**Hey y'all! So I'm a little obsessed with the Secret of Moonacre. However, in my version of the story, Maria is a little older, 17, and Robin is 20. Obviously, I don't own The Secret of Moonacre or the Little White Horse.**

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Maria Merryweather silently walked to the gravesite. She heard the priest reciting the final prayers over the casket that held her father, Colonel George Merryweather. She felt numb. There had been no word on her father's location for months. She had been shocked and distraught when she was notified of his death. She still couldn't believe what the regretful military man had said, that her father died outside a shady bar in London. She _knew_ her father would have told her if he was back in London. Worse still, multiple banks and private lenders had contacted her, trying to find ways to repay the debts her father owed. Maria couldn't fathom that her father had led a secret, illicit life.

As she mused on the recent events, Maria felt the hair stand up on the back of her neck, feeling like someone was watching her. She turned as she went to lay a flower on her father's grave and saw a curiously clothed man staring at her from a small gazebo. He was dressed in all black, with a bandana covering his nose and mouth and a bowler hat on his mass of dark curls. She felt drawn to him, but did not understand why. She looked down to place a flower on the grave adjacent to her father's, that of her mother, who died when she was very young. Maria had almost no recollection of her, except as a kind and gentle face. When Maria glanced up again, the boy was gone.

Miss Heliotrope, her governess, accompanied Maria to the lawyer's office for the reading of her father's will. Truly, Miss Heliotrope had acted as her mother as Maria grew up, teaching her manners and how to be a young woman in society. She was there to comfort her as their worst fears were confirmed.

"He… he lost it all? Including the house?" Miss Heliotrope gasped, shaking a bit in confusion.

"Ah, well, your father did leave you this book, as your inheritance." The kindly lawyer said to Maria with a sympathetic smile, giving her the book.

"The Ancient Chronicles of Moonacre Valley" Maria read aloud. A wave of hurt and confusion rolled over her. How could her father have done this to her? How could he abandoned her, been in London and not seen her, left her piles and piles of debt with only a book as her inheritance? Still pondering these questions, Miss Heliotrope guided Maria home and began to pack their things.

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Maria sat down in her bed, realizing it would be the last night she spent at home. After coming home from the funeral, she and Miss Heliotrope had spent hours helping to pack up the house, or at least the items that were not being repossessed. Maria only had an outfit for the next day, her nightgown out, and the book that her father gave her. The rest were in the bags. Maria fingered the book as Miss Heliotrope fussed around her. She was trying to comfort her, but it was just making Maria feel worse. "I know it's hard, but you know I… I'm sure that your father did… did love you. He just… um, and you know, everybody does have to go out on their own at some point in their lives," she mumbled, trying to justify Colonel Merryweather's actions.

"Miss Heliotrope, I'm fine! Really!" Maria insisted. Miss Heliotrope nodded and slowly made her way to the door of her room. Before she left, she turned and told Maria in a small voice, "I really am sorry, my dear, but I promise… I promise we'll get through this." With a small smile, she turned and left.

Maria opened the book, curiosity overtaking her. If this was all that was left of her father, then she was determined to find what it holds. She began to read the book, and became enraptured with the story in illustrations, able to picture was the words described in her mind, almost as if it were her own memory.

'Once upon a perfect time, many hundreds of years ago when the old magic clung to Moonacre Valley, there was a young woman whose skin gleamed as pale as the stars and whose heart was as pure as moonlight. Such was her bravery and goodness she was beloved by nature as if she were its own daughter. One fateful night the moon blessed her with an extraordinary gift that would change the magic of the valley forever, the Moon Pearls. From that day forth, she was known as the Moon Princess.'

Maria could picture the woman, tall and elegant, her blonde hair put up in an intricate series of buns. She stood tall and regal in a long red dress near the ocean's edge. As she stood, a force came a lifted her up, and a strange wind bestowed pearls onto her dress and placed more in her hand. They shimmered and glistened in the moonlight.

'Two ancient families lived in harmony at the edge of the valley, sharing nature's bounty. Daughter to the De Noir clan, the Moon Princess was deeply in love and was to be married to Sir Rolf Merryweather. Her father, Sir William De Noir, blessed the union by presenting the couple with a rare black lion.'

In her mind, the scene played out along a clearing near the edge of a bluff along the ocean. The Moon Princess, dressed in a beautiful white gown, walked with her father to her fiancé. Her father was a portly man, dressed in all black, with dark black hair that fell to his shoulders. By contrast, her fiancé was dressed in silver and blue, with his own brown hair styled in a similar manner. The Moon Princess sighed with happiness and she reached the alter. Her father then spoke, "For my daughter's bridegroom!" With his words, a large black lion slowly walked from an alcove on the side of the ceremony area. As it came, it growled lowly and several of the guests gasped. However, the Moon Princess was not afraid of the lion, kneeling in front of it and petting its head. "Thank you, father!" she exclaimed sincerely.

'In turn, Sir Wolf gave his bride a unicorn. Lured from the wild white horses of the sea.' Maria's mind saw the beautiful unicorn appear, and the Moon Princess walk to it, placing on hand on it before turning to her husband-to-be and gently caressing his face, wordlessly giving her thanks. "Only an animal of such beauty and purity could be the companion of the Moon Princess." Her love intoned.

'Her heart overflowed with happiness, the Moon Princess revealed the magical powers to both families.' The Moon Princess received a box from a servant, and took it as she began to explain, "Nurtured fathoms deep in the heart of the ocean, these pearls was given to us by Mother Nature herself, promising untold riches to us all. Look! They have a unique power; they can reveal the truth in man's heart!"

'Legend told of their unique powers, so strong the pearls will grant every wish, both good and evil.' Maria quickly shut the book, overwhelmed by what she had seen. It felt like she was remembering the events as she read them, but that was impossible. She had never seen any of the people in the book before.

Taking a deep breath, Maria placed the book by her bedside. She quickly changed out of her funeral attired and into her nightgown before laying down, trying to get some sleep.

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 **This is a bit of short chapter and I plan to continue. Please let me know what you think!**


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